ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HISTORY FOR PEDIATRICS

Sophie J. Balk, MDProfessor of Clinical Pediatrics

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

NEETF Children’s Environmental Health Faculty Champions Initiative

GOALS FOR THIS TALK

• To define environmental health (EH)• To discuss the importance of EH history-taking• To review NEETF history-taking tools

– Screening Environmental History

– Supplemental Environmental History

– Pediatric Environmental Health (PEH) Primer

• Resources• Next steps in the evolution of EH history

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ?

• Environmental health is the field of science that studies how the environment influences human health and disease

www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/factsheets/pdf/e-health.pdf

“ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH”

• “Environmental health includes both the direct pathological effects of chemicals, radiation and some biological agents, and the effects (often indirect) on health and wellbeing of the broad physical, psychological, social and aesthetic environment which includes housing, urban development, land use and transport.”

- World Health Organization

www.euro.who.int/eprise/main/WHO/Progs/HEP/20030612_1

“ENVIRONMENT” INCLUDES

• Natural environment – Physical, chemical and biological things in our

surroundings (air, water, food, soil)

• Man-made or “built” environment– Physical structures where people live, work and play– Consequences of human alteration to the natural

environment (e.g. air pollution)

• Social environment– Lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, SES and

other societal influences that may affect health

www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/factsheets/pdf/e-health.pdf

PRACTICAL DEFINITION

• Although we recognize that there is a broader definition of “environment”, most experts in PEH currently focus their teaching on naturally occurring and man-made chemical and physical hazards to children’s health

GENE - ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS

• Gene-environment interactions can shift the balance between health and disease

• “Genetics loads the gun…but environment pulls the trigger”1

• Gene-environment interactions are influenced by gender and age

1 - http://dels.nas.edu/emergingissues/docs/Olden.pdf

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS

• Children often more susceptible• Among parents’ top health worries • Concerns about environment and

– Asthma– Developmental disabilities– Obesity – Birth defects – Pediatric cancer

MEDICAL/NURSING TRAINING

• Little time spent on EH issues in US medical and nursing schools, training programs

• There is a need to – Increase clinicians’ awareness

– Integrate environmental history-taking into practice

Kilpatrick et al, EHP 2002; AAP Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health, p. 1, 2003.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS

• Questions about the environment are basic to a complete pediatric history

• During much of the last century, doctors made house calls and could observe the child’s environment - this is no longer common practice

• Now, asking about physical surroundings is needed to identify some exposures, prevent others

PEDIATRIC ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

• NEETF campaign to facilitate integrating EH history-taking into practice

• Developed to fill current gaps in education and training

• Obtaining a history is often THE FIRST STEP in eliciting exposures– History can also help prevent exposures

CLINICIANS’ ROLES

• With families: clinicians can help identify and/or prevent hazardous exposures– Clinicians often need resources to alleviate

identified problems

• In the community: advocacy work• Other settings: working with parents and

professionals in schools, child care, occupational settings

WHEN TO TAKE AN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY

• Health supervision (“well child”) visits– Use screening environmental history

• Routine urgent visits– Asthma, otitis media

• Other visits for illness– Unusual presentations – Persistent or puzzling/non-specific symptoms– Multiple persons with same symptoms

WELL CHILD VISITS

• History, PE, monitoring growth and development, giving immunizations, performing screening tests

• Anticipatory guidance

• 25-40% of US pediatricians’ time spent in well child care1

*1 - 2000 Nelson’s Textbook of Pediatrics

INTEGRATING QUESTIONS ABOUT ENVIRONMENT INTO THE HISTORY

• Many areas of questioning are already part of the history

• Using Screening History Form can ensure completeness

• Supplemental Form provides additional information

• PEH Primer gives background information

Insert Screening History PDF

SCREENING HISTORY

• Where child lives or spends time

• Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS)

• Water source; food exposures

• Sun exposure

• Exposure related to parents’ occupations

• Other concerns elicited from parent

AAP Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health 2003

1 - WHERE THE CHILD LIVES OR SPENDS TIME

• Community

• Housing – Home– Child care– School

• Outdoors

• Work (for employed teens)

COMMUNITY

• Toxic hazards may exist in the community– Industrial/hazardous waste sites, landfills– Toxic hazards are often more prevalent in

poorer communities

• More broadly, community factors impacting health include housing, land use and transportation

HOUSING

• Home/child care/relatives’ homes– Infants/young children are mostly indoors– Lead paint – Air pollutants: carbon monoxide, heating

sources, radon, allergens– Toxic chemicals (including indoor/outdoor

pesticides)

• School exposures

HOUSING – SCREENING QUESTIONS

• Where does your child live/spend time?• What are the age, condition and location of

your home?• Do you have a CO detector?• Do you have any indoor furry pets?• What type of heating/air system does your

home have?• Is your child exposed to toxic chemicals?• Have you tested your home for radon?

HOUSING - INTERVENTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

• Test child for lead depending on age• Fix water leaks; remove visible mold; discard

very moldy items• Urge use of CO detectors in sleeping areas• Place toxic chemicals out of reach; discourage

use unless no alternatives • EPA recommends having home tested for

radon1

http://www.nsc.org/EHC/indoor/rad_faqs.htm#is%20it%20a%20problem

BEYOND HISTORY AND ADVICE..

• Eliciting a positive history is the first step in detecting an environmental hazard

• Abatement advice may help• It may be necessary to enlist lawyers and

other advocates to solve environmental problems resulting from poor housing

• Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units are useful resources

SCHOOL/CHILD CARE

• Clinicians can advise parents to visit/walk through their child's school/child care setting at the beginning of the year   

• They can look for – Mold or water damage

– Pets in the classroom

– If newly renovated areas are cleaned up or aired out for safe occupancy

– The smell of harsh/hazardous cleaning products

2 - SECONDHAND SMOKE (SHS)

• SHS: smoke exhaled by a smoker, and smoke released from a smoldering cigarette

• SHS = Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)

SHS - CLINICAL EFFECTS

• Asthma: 202,300 episodes/year1

• Bronchitis/pneumonia (<18mo)2

– 150,000 - 300,000 cases– 7,500 – 15,000 hospitalizations– 136 – 212 deaths

• OM: 790,000 visits/year1

• SIDS: 430 deaths/year1

11--California Air Resources Board. June 2005. ftp://ftp.arb.ca.gov/carbis/regact/ets2006/app3exe.pdfCalifornia Air Resources Board. June 2005. ftp://ftp.arb.ca.gov/carbis/regact/ets2006/app3exe.pdf 2-Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke. 2-Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke. The Report of the California The Report of the California Environmental Protection Agency, 1997Environmental Protection Agency, 1997

SHS - CLINICAL EFFECTS

• Exposed children more likely to have respiratory complications with general anesthesia1

• Children living with smokers are at greater risk for injury and death from house fires2

• Children living with smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves3

1 - Koop CE, Anesthesiology 1998; 88: 1141-2.2 – Difranza JR, Lew RA. Pediatrics 1996; 97:560-8. 3 – Farkas et al. Prev Med 1999.

SHS – SCREENING QUESTIONS

• Do you smoke?

• Do other family members or child’s caregivers smoke?

SHS - INTERVENTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

• Strongly advise parents to quit– “As your child’s pediatrician, I think the best thing

you can do for your health and your child’s health is to quit smoking. My staff and I can help you.”

• If parents want to quit soon, provide assistance and/or refer to Quitline: 1-800-QUIT NOW

• If parents can’t quit now, urge smoke free homes, child care settings and cars

3 - WATER/FOOD EXPOSURES

• Well water may contain high levels of nitrates– Infants may develop methemoglobinemia

• Tap water may contain lead

• Fish may contain mercury, PCB’s

WATER/FOOD – SCREENING QUESTIONS

• What is the source of your drinking water?– Well water, city water, bottled water

• Do you eat fish? Does your child eat fish? If so, what kinds and how often?

WATER/FOOD – INTERVENTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

• Test water from private wells quarterly for 1 year for coliforms and nitrates– If levels acceptable, then test yearly

• Test tap water for lead if water is consumed by infants – Straight from tap, in reconstituted infant

formula and juice

• Advise about fish low in contaminants1

1- http://oceansalive.org/eat.cfm

4 - EXPOSURE TO UV LIGHT

• Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light through natural and artificial sources is linked to the development of skin cancer later in life– Non-melanoma skin cancer– Melanoma

MELANOMA

• Most common fatal skin cancer

• 2006: 62,190 new cases with 7,910 deaths1

• Occurs in teens, young adults

• Metastatic melanoma has a grave prognosis

• Prevention, early detection are key

1 – American Cancer Society 2006 ( www.cancer.org). .

CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE

• ~25% of lifetime sun exposure occurs during childhood and adolescence1

• Episodic high exposures sufficient to cause sunburn, particularly in childhood and adolescence, increase the risk of melanoma2

1- Godar et al. Photochem Photobiol 2003 2 -Elwood, Jopson. Int J Cancer 1997;73

UV LIGHT – SCREENING QUESTIONS

• Are you (your child) protected from excess sun exposure?

• Do you visit tanning parlors?

UV LIGHT – INTERVENTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

• Do not burn; avoid sun tanning and tanning beds

• Generously apply sunscreen

• Wear protective clothing

• Seek shade

• Use extra caution near water, snow and sand

http://www.skincancerprevention.org/Tips/tabid/54/%20Default.aspx

5 - WORK

• “Brought-home” or “para-occupational” exposures

WORK – SCREENING QUESTIONS

• What are the occupations of all adults in the household? What are hobbies?

• If teens work, what are their occupations/hobbies?

PREVENTING WORK-RELATED EXPOSURES

• Counsel parents in hazardous occupations to shower at work, change clothes and shoes before getting into cars and driving home

• If parents work in the home with toxic substances, make sure that children have no access to the work area

Environmental Health Anticipatory Guidance

TOPIC AGE/PERIOD

Home, ETS, mold, occupational exposures, breast/bottle issues

Prenatal or

first visit

ETS, Sun exposure, mold 2 months

Poisons, household pesticides, lead 6 months

Arts and Crafts Preschool

Occupational/Hobby exposures Teens

Lawn/garden products/services Spring/Summer

Wood stoves/heating Fall/WinterAAP Handbook, 2003

SICK VISITS • Incorporating environmental

etiologies into differential diagnoses

ENVIRONMENT AND DISEASE

• Making the connection between a child’s disease and the environment requires a high index of suspicion

• A clinician must think like a medical detective• Illness caused by an environmental agent may

present as a common medical problem• It is important to ask the right questions;

physical exam and lab tests follow

CONSIDER ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES WITH…

• Coma, seizures, developmental delay, irritability, constipation…

– LEAD• Asthma, pneumonia, OM…

– SHS • Fatigue, headache, dizziness, weakness,

nausea, vomiting…

– CO POISONING

ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY-SOLVING A MYSTERY

• Others similarly affected? WHO• What are symptoms? WHAT• Symptoms better/worse on weekdays or

weekends? What time of day? WHEN• Do symptoms subside or worsen in a

particular location? During specific activities? WHERE

• Parents’ theories WHY

RESPONDING TO PARENTS’ CONCERNS

• Parents may have questions and concerns about environmental hazards

• Resources are available

PEHSU’s

Pediatric EnvironmentalHealth, November 2003

ATSDR CASE STUDIES

• Taking an Exposure History, March 2000

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/CSEM/exphistory/goals_objectives.html

PEDIATRIC CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA

• Environmental Health, October 2001

• Jerome Paulson, MD, Editor

POWERPOINT CASE PRESENTATION

• Pediatric Environmental Health History by R Goldman, M Shannon, A Woolf

• Gives a detailed approach to gathering information when the child has a symptom

• Developed by the PEHSU of Cambridge Hospital and Children’s Hospital, Boston, supported by AOEC and ATSDR

• www.aoec.org/content/resources_1_3_8.htm

ORGANIZATIONS• American Academy of Pediatrics

– Committees on Environmental Health– www.aap.org

• National Environmental Education & Training Foundation – Pediatric Environmental Health Initiative – www.neetf.org/Health/PEHI.htm

• Physicians for Social Responsibility – Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit– www.igc.org/psr

• Healthy Schools Network– www.healthyschools.org

IN SUMMARY…

• Considering environmental conditions is basic to assuring health and well-being

• Environmental history is basic to a comprehensive pediatric history

• NEETF tools can help clinicians gather information in key areas: housing, smoke exposure, water & food, UV light, work

A BROADER VIEW OF PEDIATRIC ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

• Paradigm shift: expands thinking from individual toxicants to also considering “the social environment”

• “A healthy community environment encompasses aspects of human health, disease, and injury that are determined or influenced by factors in the overall environment”

• THE CHALLENGE: How can we broaden our histories to also incorporate this larger view into our care of children?

Contact InformationLeyla Erk McCurdySenior Director, Health & EnvironmentNational Environmental Education & Training

Foundation (NEETF)Email: mccurdy@neetf.orgPhone: 202.261.6488

NEETF is tracking pediatric environmental healtheducation activities for health care providers and

requests your feedback

http://www.neetf.org/health